Drought Information Statement for Eastern Oklahoma and Northwestern Arkansas
Valid April 30, 2026
Issued By: National Weather Service Tulsa, OK
Contact Information: sr-tsa.webmaster@noaa.gov
This product will be updated June 5, 2026 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/tsa/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates for regional drought status updates.
Recent rainfall has improved the drought situation across eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas.
However, drought and abnormally dry conditions still continue across the area.
Extreme (D3) Drought remains in eastern Choctaw County in southeastern Oklahoma 
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U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought intensity and Extent
D4 (Exceptional Drought): none
D3 (Extreme Drought): Choctaw County
D2 (Severe Drought): Mayes, Cherokee, Wagoner, Choctaw, Benton, Carroll, and Madison Counties
D1 (Moderate Drought): Osage, Pawnee, Creek, Tulsa, Washington OK, Nowata, Rogers, Mayes, Delaware, Wagoner, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Okfuskee, McIntosh, Pittsburg, Haskell, Cherokee, Adair, Sequoyah, Le Flore, Pushmataha, Choctaw, Benton, Carroll, Madison, Washington AR, Crawford, and Franklin Counties
D0: (Abnormally Dry): Washington OK, Nowata, Rogers, Craig, Mayes, Ottawa, Delaware, Cherokee, Adair, Sequoyah, Muskogee, McIntosh, Okmulgee, Okfuskee, Pittsburg, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, Pushmataha, Choctaw, Benton, Carroll, Washington AR, Crawford, Sebastian, and Franklin Counties
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Precipitation
Over the last 30 days (ending at 7 am CDT April 30, 2026), rainfall totals have ranged from 3.5” to 12”, which corresponds to 75% to 280% of normal

Over the last 90 days (ending at 7 am CDT April 30, 2026), rainfall totals have ranged from around 6” to around 17”, which corresponds to 50%-150% of normal.
Approximately half of the area has received less than 90% of the normal precipitation over the last three months.


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Summary of Impacts
Hydrologic Impacts 
The current streamflow in a few rivers in the Arkansas River and White River basins were below normal as of April 30, 2026 according to the USGS.
One USACE reservoir in eastern OK and northwestern AR was below 3% of the top of its conservation pool as of April 30, 2026 

Agricultural Impacts
Poor pasture conditions remain in areas that have not received significant rainfall, though some areas have reported improvement in pasture conditions from the recent rainfall. 

Fire Hazard Impacts
No burn bans were in effect across eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas.
No current increase in fire hazards across the area.

Other Impacts
There are no known impacts at this time

Mitigation Actions
None reported

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
The 4/30/2026 USGS streamflow (image on the right) was near normal for this date for most rivers across eastern OK and northwest AR.

River gages with Below Normal (10th-24th percentile) or Much Below Normal (less than 10th percentile) streamflows:
Neosho River near Chouteau, OK
Haikey Creek at Tulsa, OK 
Coal Creek at Tulsa, OK
Yocum Creek near Oak Grove, AR
Fourche Maline near Red Oak, OK
Black Fork near Page, OK
Kiamichi River near Big Cedar, OK
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Agricultural Impacts
Late April reports from producers in northwest AR indicate that pastures have improved, especially in the areas that received the higher rainfall totals recently.

However, despite greening up, pasture growth is still less than normal for this time of year in areas that have received lesser rainfall in northwest AR.

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Seven Day Precipitation Forecast
There is a low chance of rain May 1 across southeast Oklahoma, with dry conditions expected across all of eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas through the weekend.

A chance for showers and thunderstorms returns to the region on the evening of May 4th and continues through May 6. 

0.10” to 1.50” of total rainfall is currently forecast over the next 7 days (through May 6, 2026).


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Long-Range Outlooks
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
There is a slightly enhanced chance for above median precipitation across southeastern OK for May, and an equal chance for above, near, or below median precipitation for the remainder of eastern OK and northwestern AR. 

For the April-June season, there is a slightly enhanced chance for below median precipitation across far northern OK, and an equal chance for above, near, or below median precipitation for the remainder of eastern OK and northwestern AR. 

There is an enhanced chance for above normal temperatures across all of eastern OK and northwestern AR for May and for the May-July season.
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Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
The Seasonal Drought Outlook for April 16 - July 31, 2026:

Drought is expected to persist across northeastern Oklahoma.

Drought is expected to improve or end across the remainder of eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas.

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